Awareness on Risk Factors of Oropharyngeal Cancer and Practice of Oral Sex among Students in Kinshasa City: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Aims: The present study aimed to estimate the occurrence of oral sex, and the awareness of risk factors of Oropharyngeal cancer to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer. Study design:  A prospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the 2019 Institut de Technique Medical de Kinshasa (ISTM-KIN) Interview Survey, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Place and Duration of Study: Participants were enrolled from March 2019 through April of the same year in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa City. Methodology: Eligibility criteria included both men and women aged 15 to 45 years, enrolled in an educational program, and accepted voluntarily to respondent the survey.  Demographic data, history of sexual behavior, initiation times, and knowledge about risk factors of oropharyngeal cancer were evaluated. Differences between groups of sexual behavior were tested by chi-square tests and ANOVA test at significant level of 5%. Results:  Out of 1,196 participants, 412 (34.4%) were males and 784 (65.6%) females with an average (±SD) age of 20±2.4 years. A total of 964 respondents reported a history of sexually behavior (81%), of that, 53.1% had performed oral sex, 35.4% had vaginal sex and11.5% had practiced sodomy. Oral sex was the first sexual activity practiced with a significant difference among sexual behavior (P= .003). The respondents knew that oral sex is a risk factor for OPC (51.5%; n=616).      Conclusion: Oral sex is the first sexual activity performed by students of Kinshasa Nursing School. Therefore, the education program to avoid the risk of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers may be necessary.